BERGAMA
Synonyms.—Bergamo, Pergamo.
Why So Named.—A corruption of the word Pergamo, which is the name of a small village of 3000 inhabitants, about forty miles northeast of Smyrna, where they are made.
Knot.—Ghiordes. Number vertically ten to fourteen; number horizontally six to twelve; number to square inch sixty to one hundred sixty-eight.
Warp.—Always dyed wool, usually of a splendid quality.
Woof.—Always dyed wool.
Nap.—The best soft, silky wool, usually quite long.
Weave.—Frequently several woof threads between each row of knots.
Sides.—Usually broad red selvaged sides, made by weaving the woof threads upon three or four outside warp threads. Frequently have small tassels of wool along the sides. The only rug that has these excepting the Shiraz.
Ends.—Rather broad web with braided fringe at each end. The web often carries a woven design or blue stripes. Until recently the Bergama was the only rug which sometimes had rosettes woven on the webbing. Nowadays an occasional Anatolian may be found with this feature.
Border.—From three to five border stripes, usually three. They are generally wide with flowers in profile.
Prevailing Colors.—Red, green, blue, yellow, ivory, and orange. Rather dark.
Dyes.—Nearly always of the best.
Designs.—The Bergama designs are somewhat characteristic. The Bergama weavers are inventors of patterns rather than copyists. Medallions frequent, with a well covered field. Sometimes the checker-board pattern. Figures generally bold and large in proportion to size of the rug.
BERGAMA RUG
PROPERTY OF A. U. DILLEY & CO.
Sizes.—Usually nearly square. One and one-half to four by two to six feet. Antiques usually run smaller than the modern ones.
Prices.—Rather high. From $2.00 to $10.00 per square foot.
Remarks.—Very scarce.
THE EXAMPLES ILLUSTRATED
Bergama Rug.—The unusual medallion in this piece is characteristic of the Bergama only. In its centre is the octagon and eight-pointed star of the Medes, a motif which is found more or less in nearly all classes of rugs, but in none more frequently than in the Bergama.
The main border stripe is composed of lily blossoms in profile and in full.
Bergama Prayer Rug (see page [46]).—Knot: Ghiordes. Number to the inch, horizontally seven; vertically seven; to the square inch, seventy-seven.
Bergama prayer rugs are not often seen in this country and this particular piece is a very uncommon and choice one. The designs are unusual, the colors the best and the nap has the hammered-brass appearance so common in many of the old Bergamas.
The prayer field is of a beautiful terracotta; the space just above the niche is in light and dark blue; the panels carry most peculiar geometrical designs in white, yellow, blue and brown, the upper one on a ground of terracotta and the lower one on a ground of old rose. The main border stripe carries a variety of nameless geometrical designs in red, yellow, blue, brown and drab upon a white background. The outer border stripe consists of an eight-petaled flower alternating with a motif which might have been intended for the wine glass, so frequently found in the Caucasian fabrics.